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"My deere love," quod she, "O my dayn John, |
| Ful lief were me this conseil for to hyde, |
| 160 | But oot it moot, I may namoore abyde. |
| Myn housbonde is to me the worste man |
| That evere was sith that the world bigan. |
| Buth sith I am a wyf, it sit nat me |
| To tellen no wight of oure privetee, |
| 165 | Neither abedde, ne in noon oother place; |
| God shilde I sholde it tellen, for his grace! |
| A wyf ne shal nat seyn of hir housbonde |
| But al honour, as I kan understonde; |
| Save unto yow thus muche I tellen shal: |
| 170 | As helpe me God, he is noght worth at al |
| In no degree the value of a flye. |
| But yet me greveth moost his nygardye. |
| And wel ye woot that wommen naturelly |
| Desiren thynges sixe as wel as I: |
| 175 | They wolde that hir housbondes sholde be |
| Hardy, and wise, and riche, and therto free, |
| And buxom unto his wyf, and fressh abedde. |
| But by that ilke Lord that for us bledde, |
| For his honour, myself for to arraye, |
| 180 | A Sonday next I moste nedes paye |
| An hundred frankes, or ellis I am lorn. |
| Yet were me levere that I were unborn |
| Than me were doon a sclaundre or vileynye; |
| And if myn housbonde eek it myghte espye, |
| 185 | I nere but lost; and therfore I yow preye, |
| Lene me this somme, or ellis moot I deye. |
| Daun John, I seye, lene me thise hundred frankes. |
| Pardee, I wol nat faille yow my thankes, |
| If that yow list to doon that I yow praye. |
| 190 | For at a certeyn day I wol yow paye, |
| And doon to yow what plesance and service |
| That I may doon, right as yow list devise. |
| And but I do, God take on me vengeance, |
| As foul as evere hadde Genylon of France." |
|
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"My dearest love," said she, "O my Dan John, |
| Right glad I were this counsel for to hide, |
| 160 | But it must out, I can't it more abide. |
| To me my husband is the poorest man |
| That ever was, since first the world began. |
| But since I am a wife, becomes not me |
| To tell a living soul our privity, |
| 165 | Either abed or in some other place; |
| God guard that I should tell it, of His grace! |
| For wife must never talk of her husband, |
| Except to his honour, as I understand. |
| But now to you thus much I can and shall: |
| 170 | So help me God, he is not worth, at all, |
| In any wise, the value of a fly. |
| But yet this grieves me most- he's niggardly; |
| And well you know that women naturally |
| Desire six things, and even so do I. |
| 175 | For women all would have their husbands be |
| Hardy, and wise, and rich, and therewith free, |
| Obedient to the wife, and fresh in bed. |
| But by that very Lord who for us bled, |
| Though in his honour, myself to array |
| 180 | On Sunday next, I must yet go and pay |
| A hundred francs, or else be but forlorn. |
| Yet would I rather never have been born |
| Than have a scandal or disgrace, say I. |
| And if my husband such a thing should spy, |
| 185 | I were but lost, and therefore do I pray, |
| Lend me this sum, or else I perish, yea! |
| Dan John, I say, lend me these hundred francs; |
| By gad, I will not fail to give you thanks, |
| If only you will do the thing I pray. |
| 190 | For on a certain day I will repay, |
| And give to you what pleasure and service |
| I can give, aye, just as you may devise. |
| And if I don't, God take on me vengeance |
| As foul as once on Ganelon of France!" |
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